2012 deer season on par to 2011 — doing well

Deer season has reached completion and for the second consecutive year, northern Michigan hunters have fared well.

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By MARK SPENCLEYmark@cheboygantribune.com

Cheboygan Daily Tribune - Cheboygan, MI

By MARK SPENCLEYmark@cheboygantribune.com

Posted Jan. 5, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By MARK SPENCLEYmark@cheboygantribune.com

Posted Jan. 5, 2013 at 12:01 AM

CHEBOYGAN

Deer season has reached completion and for the second consecutive year, northern Michigan hunters have fared well.

Each year, the Department of Natural Resources puts together a preliminary harvest report following the end of deer season. Last year’s harvest in the northern Lower Peninsula was up considerably from the previous year and DNR biologists estimate the 2012 harvest was very similar.

“We’re right about where we were last year and last year we were up 20 percent from the year before,” said Ashley Autenreith, deer specialist with the DNR.

Right now, its impossible to say exactly how this season’s harvest compares with prior years. The DNR uses an annual mail survey to establish official harvest numbers and sometimes there are discrepancies between the initial estimate and the final harvest tally. The final harvest report won’t be released until July, but early indications are good.

Along with more deer being taken, DNR staff saw a high percentage of mature bucks making up the harvest.

A combination of consecutive mild winters and early springs has helped, but the real credit for bigger bucks being harvest falls on the hunters themselves.

“A lot of the hunters are passing up bucks, waiting for one that’s a little older,” explained Autenreith. “That’s what really does it. The one thing you can always count on is older deer growing bigger antlers.”

This is a trend that’s been gaining steam in recent years. More hunters are passing up smaller bucks in hopes of tagging a larger one. When it comes to antler production, deer follow a fairly predictable curve.

Though bucks grow more impressive antlers each year until about 6 ½ years old, the really unique antler configurations don’t traditionally show up until bucks reach at least 4 ½.

“When bucks are able to reach maturity, 4 ½ years old, that’s when you start seeing the really good beam diameters and really good spreads,” said Autenreith.

Another good indication for the 2012 season, deer license sales were up roughly 2 percent. Deer license sales had been falling be roughly 2 percent each year, according to Russ Mason.